1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to improvements in the structure and function of a musical instrument. The present invention more particularly relates to improvements in the structure and function of a harmonica.
2. Background Information
Harmonicas are among the world""s oldest and most popular musical instruments. Harmonicas produce musical tones by a player blowing or drawing air into the harmonica to vibrate one or more of the reeds of the harmonica. One form of the harmonica is the ten-hole diatonic harmonica. In a diatonic harmonica, twenty reeds produce nineteen natural tones, with one tone being duplicated. The ten-hole diatonic harmonica typically has ten blow reeds, which sound in response to air blown into the harmonica by positive oral pressure; and ten draw reeds, which sound in response to air drawn in through the harmonica by negative oral pressure. The nineteen tones allow the player to play all the diatonic tones of a middle octave and most of the tones of a lower and a higher octave.
A moderately advanced diatonic harmonica player can produce twelve additional tones by a process known as xe2x80x9cbending,xe2x80x9d whereby the player modifies the resonant volume in the vocal passage, principally with the tongue, to xe2x80x9cbendxe2x80x9d or adjust the tone produced to achieve the desired pitch. A xe2x80x9cbendxe2x80x9d is therefore a procedure involving the adjustment of the player""s embouchure wherein a tone is flatted by causing the normally idle lower-pitched reed of the reed pair in a harmonica to vibrate in its opening mode.
A more advanced player can also produce four additional tones by a technique known as xe2x80x9coverblowing,xe2x80x9d whereby the player more strictly matches the appropriate resonant volume with the tone he or she wishes to produce, typically causing the draw reed of the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth holes to produce tones corresponding to a flatted third of the low octave and a flatted third, fifth, and seventh respectively of the middle octave. Similarly, drawing and a strictly controlled shaping of the resonant passage will produce xe2x80x9coverdrawxe2x80x9d tones from the blow reeds corresponding to a sharped first, fifth and eighth of the highest octave. On an ordinary diatonic harmonica tuned to the key of C, the overblow tones are Eb-4 of the low octave, Eb-5, F#-5 and Bb-5 of the middle octave, and the overdraw tones are C#-6, G#-6 and C#-7 of the highest octave. Overblow and overdraw tones can be produced from all holes of the diatonic harmonica, but except for those listed, tones can be produced more easily with other techniques. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,446 to Bahnson.
Therefore, an overblow or overdraw procedure is one in which the tone is sharped by causing the higher pitched reed in a harmonica reed pair to vibrate in its opening mode. Overblow occurs on the first six holes of a standard diatonic harmonica wherein the higher-pitched reed is the draw reed; overdraw occurs on the last four holes of a standard diatonic harmonica wherein the higher-pitched reed is the blow reed.
In all, the most skilled diatonic harmonica player can produce a total of thirty-eight tones from the ten-hole diatonic harmonica, using the normal playing, bending, overblowing, and overdrawing techniques. A problem with any musical instrument, including the diatonic harmonica, is that not all players are highly skilled or even moderately advanced at playing the instrument, and a majority of instrument players are at skill levels far below the advanced level and cannot significantly improve their skills even with much practice.
The technique of xe2x80x9coverblowingxe2x80x9d is extremely difficult and diatonic harmonica players, even those of great skill, have been known to practice the technique for years before feeling comfortable enough to use the technique in a live performance. The same can be said of the xe2x80x9coverdrawingxe2x80x9d technique.
Because the seven tones achieved by overblowing or overdrawing are not readily achieved on a ten-hole diatonic harmonica, many less-advanced players resort to a chromatic harmonica, which offers a full chromatic scale of semitones by means of a slide that directs air to reeds pitched a semitone higher than those activated without the slide. However, the chromatic harmonica is not as adaptable as the diatonic harmonica to musical expression such as the type of expression experienced in blues, country, soul, and jazz harmonica music. Although the chromatic scale is easier to play on the chromatic harmonica than on the diatonic, its more limited expression makes it less enjoyable for many, including both listeners and players.
The construction of the diatonic harmonica (See, e.g., FIG. 1) includes a set of ten flexible metallic reeds affixed to a flat reed plate containing rectangular slots through which the reeds vibrate. The typical construction provides an individual reed for each slot. Two such sets of reed plates are typically attached to opposing faces of a comb, thereby creating ten cells, each allowing two notes to be played per cell of the comb: one when blowing and one when drawing.
There are, however, limitations associated with this construction. The usual mechanical connection of reeds on a top surface of the reed plate can create a gap at the reed tip and along the lateral sides or flanks of the reed through which air may leak during play. When the reed vibrates due to a physical influence such as the blowing or drawing action of a musician, these gaps can widen and narrow to permit the reed to vibrate. However, when vibration is initiated, these gaps can also result in one or more unsatisfactory air leaks that can cause the player to blow more forcefully, alter his embouchure, and possibly stop reed vibration from occurring.
This problem is especially acute when attempting to play notes arising from a xe2x80x9cbent,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9coverblownxe2x80x9d and/or xe2x80x9coverdrawnxe2x80x9d procedure. These notes are characterized by an anomalous physical behavior of two given reeds positioned in a cell of the harmonica. As shown in Bahnson et al., xe2x80x9cAcoustic and Physical Dynamics of the Diatonic Harmonica,xe2x80x9d Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. Vol. 103(4), pp. 1234-1244, 1998, when one of these maneuvers is performed and achieved, the normally stationary reed can be caused to vibrate while the normally active reed is caused to close. In the case of the overblow procedure, for example, the draw reed operates in an xe2x80x9copeningxe2x80x9d fashion while the blow reed operates in a xe2x80x9cclosingxe2x80x9d fashion.
As previously discussed, the gap formed between the blow reed and its corresponding slot can create an air leak during this procedure. Consequently, there may be insufficient air pressure to induce vibration in the opening reed. Furthermore, the acoustic impedance of the oral-reed system may be affected so as to prevent vibration, or cause dissonant vibration within the harmonica.
An additional problem associated with conventional harmonica play is the occurrence of aberrant and discordant whistling or squeaking sounds while attempting to play a note. These aberrant sounds can be particularly problematic while attempting an overblow or overdraw procedure. The cause of this phenomenon is the establishment of xe2x80x9cedge tonesxe2x80x9d created by the flow of air through a gap or gaps formed between one or more reeds and the reed plate and subsequent torsional vibration of the reed.
Another problem associated with conventional harmonicas is the difficulty in aligning the reeds within the reed slots of the reed plate during assembly. The clearance between the lateral edges or flanks of the reeds and the corresponding edges of the slot is typically small, in the approximate range of less than 0.002xe2x80x3. Because the reed is often affixed to the reed plate with a single rivet or other similar mechanical fastener, it is possible for the reed to rotate about the rivet thereby causing a nonparallel alignment between the rotated reed and the reed plate. Furthermore, irregularities or burrs introduced during fabrication of the reed or reed plate can adversely affect the free vibration of the reed. This is exacerbated when the reed is not properly aligned in its slot within the harmonica.
An additional problem associated with conventional harmonica construction is that roughened surfaces can be present on the edges and other internal surfaces of a reed slot. Because these slots are typically fabricated by the shearing action of a die, their internal surfaces are typically characterized by burrs, grooves and other irregular projections and recesses. These irregularities introduce non-uniformity into the reed slot of the harmonica and can interrupt the smooth flow of air through the reed passage.
A further problem with conventional harmonicas is that the material properties of the reed usually alter during the life cycle of the instrument thereby affecting the pitch and alignment of the reed. If the instrument is played with greater than usual force or air pressure, for example, the pitch of the reed can be altered. To rectify the pitch, the instrument must be disassembled to adjust the reeds. To lower the pitch of the reed, material is removed from the root of the reed, usually by abrasive means, such as sandpaper. To raise the pitch of the reed, material is removed from the reed tip. To readjust the reed position, the reed is manually or mechanically deflected in a exaggerated fashion in the direction opposite of the dislocation, perhaps resulting in a weakening of the attachment of the reed to the reed plate.
A still further problem associated with conventional harmonica play is that the player must modify his or her oral cavity to achieve certain bends, overblows, or overdraws. Low draw bends typically require excessively large embouchure, necessitating that the jaw be lowered, and the tongue positioned low in the oral cavity. Conversely, overblows, blow bends, and overdraws require relatively small oral volume and that the tongue of the musician to be positioned against the palate with the tip forward against the upper teeth. The volume provided within the comb of the harmonica supplements the volume required within the oral cavity of the musician. Therefore, enlarging the cavity would facilitate draw bends, while reducing the volume of the cavity would facilitate overblows, overdraws and blow bends.
A number of devices have been used to improve the playing of harmonicas. Paris, U.S. Pat. No. 574,625, discloses a siding mouthpiece for transferring a blast of air from one cell chamber to another without moving the lips. Newman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,671,309, discloses a chromatic harmonica having a frontal slide which occludes certain blow holes in the harmonica to allow the player to achieve a chromatic scale, as opposed to a diatonic scale. Other chromatic harmonicas having blow hole-occluding devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,752,988; 2,005,443; 2,339,790; and 2,675,727.
Bahnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,446, discloses a harmonica and method of playing which involves the use of a valve mechanism. A sliding set of louvers is added to one side of each reed plate, which apparently, when activated, block the air leakage from the inactive reed. This mechanism appears to be relatively complicated and expensive to implement. The Bahnson harmonica also appears to require the player to activate the valve at the exact instant that the overblow note is to be played, thus requiring additional motions and interaction with the harmonica by the player, and preventing modulation of frequency as required for certain tremelo effects.
Accordingly, an advance in the art could be realized if a harmonica could be constructed which readily permits the production of bent, overblown, and overdrawn tones, enabling even the player having limited skills to achieve the characteristic expression of the diatonic harmonica and yet realize the full half tone scale capability of the chromatic harmonica. It would also be beneficial to provide a harmonica that permits the overdrawing and overblowing techniques of the invention to be practiced without otherwise requiring any significant changes in playing techniques. Another significant benefit could be realized from a harmonica that is more susceptible to the techniques of bending, overblowing and/or overdrawing.
A harmonica with reeds and associated reed plates that reduce the excessive leakage of airflow from the cells of the harmonica is also needed. What is also needed is a simple construction for use in fabricating and assembling reed plates that also improves harmonica performance and reduces lifetime maintenance and tuning. Another advantage could be realized by providing a harmonica having reed slots with generally uniform and relatively smooth surfaces that improve interaction between reeds and reed slots. What are also needed are improvements in the structure of the comb body, the reed plates and the position of reeds within a conventional harmonica. A harmonica is needed that can achieve draw and blow bends by improving interaction between a reed pair in a cell.
Still another problem that needs to be addressed is that of achieving sufficient loudness from the harmonica. An improvement is needed that can increase the amount of time the reed spends in the slot, thereby increasing the time that the reed receives aerodynamic impetus for vibration. Under circumstances of high-pressure airflow in the harmonica, such as when the player exerts sufficient pressure to cause the tip of reed to vibrate entirely through its respective slot, then a new leakage path is created. A means of reducing the leakage caused by this new path would be advantageous in an improved harmonica.
The improved harmonica structures of the present invention have met and/or exceeded the above-described needs.
The harmonica structures of the present invention include, in one embodiment, a reed comb having a common bridge with reeds formed integrally with the common bridge. The reed plate has a plurality of reed slots formed therein and is adapted to receive the reeds of the reed comb into corresponding slots formed in the reed plate. The reed plate has a first portion positioned within a first plane and a second portion positioned in a second plane. The second portion of the reed plate has a stepped portion formed therein adapted to receive a reed of the reed comb therein to permit substantial encasement of the reed within the reed slot.
In the harmonica of the present invention, one or more counterbores can be formed in the reed plate adjacent to the tips of the reeds. The counterbore can extend a distance beyond or behind the reed tip and can be provided in a variety of configurations, such as a rectangular shape. In addition, material can be applied to a surface of the reed plate at a location adjacent to the flanks of the reeds to resist leakage of air between the reed plate and the flanks of the reed during harmonica play. The reed plate can include a first stepped portion upon which the roots of the reeds are positioned and a second stepped portion positioned adjacent to the tips of the reeds.
In another aspect of the present invention, the reeds can be formed by direct cutting or forming of the reeds in the reed plate. A reed is formed by cutting along three sides of its perimeter and leaving the fourth or xe2x80x9cshortxe2x80x9d side uncut. This provides a substantially integrally formed reed plate.
In still other aspects of the present invention, a radiused surface can be formed on a portion of the reed or on the surface of the reed slot in which the reed is positioned. A substantially wedge-shaped comb having angled top and bottom surfaces can also be provided. In another aspect of the present invention the height of the comb and the thickness and structure of the reed plates can be adjusted to achieve a variety of acoustical objectives. The width of the cells in the comb can also be adjusted to vary the volume of individual cells. In addition, substantial axial alignment of the roots of a given pair of reeds can be made to provide different acoustical results for the harmonica. The walls of the cells in the comb can also be tapered to alter acoustical effects. A flexible structural member can be used in conjunction with the inside surface of the cells of the comb to close a slot in the reed plate during harmonica play.